Climate Detectives 2025–2026: Registration now open!
Looking for a meaningful way to engage your students with climate and the environment? Join the Climate Detectives 2025–2026 school-level project and guide your students as they investigate environmental challenges using actual Earth observation data.
The project offers different levels of complexity:
Climate Detectives Kids – for teams of younger learners (8-12 years old) to complete fun, hands-on activities and earn badges.
Climate Detectives – for teams of older students (up to 19 years old) to carry out their own research project.
Register now and bring real-world science into your classroom!
Why join Climate Detectives Kids and Climate Detectives as a teacher or educator?
In Climate Detectives Kids students will:
- Develop key skills and competencies, such as teamwork, initiative, and problem-solving
- Explore a wide range of activities related to Earth Sciences, encouraging curiosity and a deeper understanding of our planet’s systems and environmental challenges
- Increase their motivation and enthusiasm for learning about the environment through engaging activities, where they earn ESA Climate Detectives badges and certificates that provide a tangible sense of achievement
- Cultivate a sense of responsibility for the planet by connecting scientific exploration with real-world environmental issues in a fun and accessible way
In Climate Detectives students will:
- Strengthen critical thinking and digital skills while actively contributing to a more sustainable future
- Deepen their understanding of STEM subjects through an enjoyable, space-themed investigation
- Develop key competencies such as collaboration, initiative, and problem-solving
- Be inspired by interactions with real Earth science experts
- Enjoy a supportive learning environment that fosters creativity and curiosity, helping to build confidence and a lifelong interest in STEM and environmental topics
- Have the opportunity to participate in an international event hosted by ESA, connecting with peers from across Europe and enhancing their academic and career pathways
What is Climate Detectives?
Climate Detectives is a free educational project run by ESA and the national European Space Education Resource Offices (ESERO). As Climate Detectives, students dive into Earth Sciences to explore important topics such as climate change, wildfires, floods, extreme weather, sustainable living, biodiversity, air quality, oceans, forests, and much more.
Climate Detectives Kids: Complete activities, collect evidence and earn badges
Climate Detectives Kids is designed for younger students (recommended for ages 8 to 12 years old), offering engaging, hands-on activities to explore a variety of environmental topics. Using the provided educational materials, students can investigate concepts such as the difference between weather and climate, and why the Earth has seasons. Teachers and educators are welcome to introduce their own activities as well. Along the way, students can earn badges for completing activities, a certificate of participation, and see their work displayed in the Climate Detectives Kids online gallery.
Learn more here: Climate Detectives Kids
Climate Detectives: Investigate an Earth environmental problem
Climate Detectives is designed for older students (up to 19 years old), providing the opportunity to carry out a full scientific investigation of a local environmental issue of their choice, such as climate, pollution, biodiversity and more. As teams, students apply the scientific methodology to identify a research question, collect and analyse data, including real satellite images and Earth Observation data, and summarise and share their findings with the Climate Detectives community. The project platform offers supporting resources for teams, such as mini case studies and digital tools to access Earth Observation satellite data. Each team that submits will have their project displayed in the dedicated online
Learn more here: Overview 2025-2026 – Climate detectives
Check out our FAQ's to learn more about both complexity levels.
How to apply?
Participation is open to students aged 8 to 19 years old from ESA Member States, Canada, Latvia, Lithuania, or Slovakia. The projects may be submitted by registered teachers or educators.
Special Prize for Select Climate Detectives National Teams
By participating in Climate Detectives 2025-2026, teams have the chance to earn a special prize: a visit to ESA’s Earth Observation Centre (ESRIN) in Italy for the Climate Detectives Summit, an educational celebration event scheduled for May 2026. This unique opportunity allows the chosen teams to visit an ESA facility, connect with fellow participants, present a project-related poster, and take part in inspiring Earth Observation activities, as well as career development sessions. Teams will be selected* nationally by their ESERO.
Key Dates:
- Official kick-off Climate Detectives 2025-2026: 17 September 2025 (in some countries, registration may open earlier or later. Check the specific timeline for your country on the respective Country Info pages of the website.)
- Climate Detectives Summit at ESRIN (for national selected teams only): 27-29 May 2026
For full project details and to get started visit: Climate Detectives
*Please be aware that your ESERO may have additional requirements.